T.W. Shannon on Principles & Values

AdWatch: I'm guided by my faith; let's renew our values

Shannon: "My grandparents brought our family to this church more than a half-century ago. This is where I learned my values and developed my faith."

Narrator: "T.W. Shannon is a sixth-generation Oklahoman. T.W. is guided by his faith. Raised by working
class parents, T.W. Shannon learned that success comes from hard work, not hand-outs. And it's those values T.W. and his wife, Devon, are teaching their two kids.

Shannon: "Washington, D.C., is broken, and our government is out of control.
Generations to come will inherit crippling debt, limitless spending, and a health care system run by bureaucrats, not doctors and patients. I still believe we are one nation under God, and with his favor we can save our country. If conservatives here in
Oklahoma and across America will unite and send the right leaders to Washington, we can restore prosperity. We can renew our values. And we can reclaim our destiny. With conservative leadership, we can fix what's wrong with our country.

Rights are endowed by God, not by politicians

The men who wrote our Constitution were very clear about where those rights come from. They said we are "endowed by our Creator with certain inalienable rights".

They didn't say we are endowed by our government. They didn't say we are endowed by the
courts. And they didn't say we are endowed by politicians.

You see, the freedoms and rights we have as Americans are recognized in our Constitution as coming from God.
That is the firm foundation on which our nation is founded. At the core of those rights is that which the human heart desires most:

Freedom.

Freedom to worship.

Freedom to speak your mind.

Freedom to live as you choose and pursue any
dream you have.

I used to believe our freedom was so deeply woven into the fabric of this country, that nothing could ever put it at risk. But over the past six years, much has changed.

Will remain as Speaker during Senate primary

Oklahoma's Republican House Speaker T.W. Shannon told colleagues Tuesday that he will run for the U.S. Senate seat being vacated early by U.S. Sen. Tom Coburn but remain speaker "for the time being."

"I want you to know that I will remain Speaker for
the time being. I am not stepping down immediately because I want to ensure a smooth transition that does not disrupt the important business of the state, nor distract from the legislative goals of our caucus," Shannon wrote.

Shannon, who previously
worked as congressional field director for former U.S. Rep. J.C. Watts and current U.S. Rep. Tom Cole, was first elected to the Oklahoma House in 2006. He was the first Republican to represent District 62.

He won a close race for House speaker with
the help of the Republican caucus' right wing, and he has staked out several conservative positions that occasionally rankle GOP leaders in the state Senate and governor's office.

"Recovering attorney" with JD from Oklahoma City University

Shannon, who earned his bachelor's degree at Cameron University and a law degree from Oklahoma City University, has jokingly described himself as a "recovering attorney"
who currently works as a public relations and human resources consultant. He previously worked as chief administrative officer for Chickasaw Nation Industries.

Source: Associated Press on 2014 Oklahoma Senate race
, Jan 29, 2014

Serves as Sunday School teacher in his childhood church

T.W. Shannon learned the values of faith, family, hard work, and personal responsibility in the pews of Bethlehem Baptist Church in Lawton, Okla.
He still serves there today as a Sunday School teacher.

Married to his college sweetheart, for 12 years

T.W has been married to his college sweetheart,
Devon, for 12 years and they have two children, Audrey Grace and T.W. II. At a young age fresh out of college, T.W. served as the chief administrative officer for the Chickasaw Nation, one of the most prosperous Native American tribes in the country.